AMD, which makes processors for PCs and servers, is getting ready to lay off anywhere from 20 to 30 percent of its employees in the next few weeks. The company is expected to announce the number of lay offs in the next week -- around the time it will be reporting its quarterly financial results.

This marks AMD's second big staff cut in a year's time. About a year ago, it cut 10 percent of its employees. At the end of Q2 2012, the company said it had 11,737 employees.

Why is AMD making such drastic reductions in staff? Mainly because it is struggling to compete with other chip makers like Intel. Intel has not only grabbed the PC and server markets, but has also dipped into the mobile market as well, offering tablet and smartphone chips. AMD, on the other hand, hasn't made a push for mobile yet. This is clearly problematic, considering the PC market has been in decline in favor of mobile devices, and chip makers like Intel and AMD have to adapt to stay alive.

In addition to competition, SemiAccurate reported that AMD's board is a huge reason as to why the company was forced to make staff cuts. The report said that AMD's board is "incompetent" and that the company "staffed senior management with toadies who would do their bidding rather than do the right thing." SemiAccurate noted that AMD is mainly cutting engineers, and that AMD likely will not survive with this cut.

AMD has already announced ahead of its quarterly earnings report that that revenue would decrease 10 percent instead of the previously forecasted four percent decrease to two percent increase.

However, AMD is hoping for a brighter future with its first mobile chip release for Windows 8 tablets this year.

Lack of decent IPC really is dragging the competition down, and AMD's income. Looking at ivy, I doubt intel would've gone with the awkward pasted IHS if there was a decent competitor over their shoulder. People who've reduced the spacing have had pretty significant temperature drops, but its a big risk considering the price of those chips.

"Game reviewers fought each other to write the most glowing coverage possible for the powerhouse Sony, MS systems. Reviewers flipped coins to see who would review the Nintendo Wii. The losers got stuck with the job." -- Andy Marken